Brandon Twp.- Several of the township’s police officers, as well as citizens, have been recognized with awards for their work in assisting residents and keeping the community safe.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Awards Council announced the 2009 award recipients last week, which included two commendation citations for Deputy Nicholas Pung, and one each for Detective Chris Pacholski, Sgt. Pete Burkett, and Deputies Carol Liposky, Robert Negri, Eric Rymarz, and Randy Tarp, for their work investigating a child criminal sexual assault case against former township resident William Arthur Keely.
In his nomination for the commendation citations, Burkett noted that the case involved a very tedious investigation that lasted for several months, with search warrants conducted at the suspect’s residence and evidence confiscated including computers and guns. Keely was charged in July with 13 separate counts and his wife, Margaret Sullivan Keely, who was an Oxford High School teacher, was charged with failing to report child abuse. William Keely took his own life in an Oakland County Jail cell on April 27.
‘Detective Pacholski, Sergeant Burkett, CCU Detective Liposky, Deputy Rymarz, Deputy Pung, Deputy Tarp and Deputy Negri all played key roles in investigating this heinous crime,? Burkett wrote.
‘Thanks to their due diligence and commitment to protect and serve our public, Oakland County is a safer place for our families and children.’Pung’s second commendation award came as a result of his efforts to save a heart attack victim in July. Negri was also given a unit citation for professional excellence for his work as a member of the Honor Guard, standing tribute at funerals for fallen officers.
Also recognized by the council was Brandon High School Assistant Principal Jerry Warner, who assisted Brandon deputies in investigating four bomb threats at the school, ultimately resulting in the arrest of a suspect.
Clarkston resident Lawrence Forbes was also recognized with a citizen’s commendation for his assistance in helping solve several home invasions. Forbes e-mailed the OCSO in December, alerting them to a suspicious incident that took place at his home when a suspect came to his home, knocked on the door, and then said he was looking for a girl and gave a different address. Forbes wrote down the man’s license plate number and the man was later arrested for several daytime home invasions in Brandon Township.
Dispatcher Jennifer Prince was also honored for helping a Brandon Township mother rescue her son, who had attempted suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. She calmly talked the panicked woman through actions to save him.